Closure of Tales
by VirusX
Summary: An unlikely partnership develops between Frog and Magus. Lavos is dead, and peace finally seems to be restored for the time being. Frog and Magus strike a deal that would/should benefit both of them, but will they uphold their end of the bargain, and will old wounds ever heal? Written in first-person (multiple POVs). This story will only be a few chapters, short and sweet. R&R )


**One : Open Wounds, Heavy Hearts**

…_.Marle's Perspective….._

Our party has three: Crono, Frog, and myself. Over the last week we voyaged into the depths of the mystic layer, where we hope to find Magus and allow Frog to finally get revenge. A pack of imps begin surrounding the glade where we stand, and within minutes we strike them all down. That is, all but one – the largest of the lot, quite possibly the largest imp I've ever seen. I test a few arrows in its torso and quickly realize its skin is far too thick to be penetrated. No matter, I fire a few more and plug them right in its vital limb points, ensuring its basic movements are obstructed. An X-strike from Crono and Frog seals the deal and unseals the hideous creature.

You see, a few months ago we had quite literally saved our world. We killed Lavos, the grand parasite that consumed our planet for millions of years and strengthened the power of these Mystic creatures. With Lavos no more and our mission complete, we returned to our normal lives – or so we planned (and still do!). Crono confessed his love to me and we married soon after, but not before Frog had made us promise a favor: to find Magus and end him for good so he could get revenge for the murder of his best friend, lord and lead knight of the Guardia Kingdom circa 600 A.D., Cyrus. Although Frog does not mention it, I'm sure he longs to return to his human body as well. Theoretically, this would also be accomplished by killing Magus and thus undoing his magic. So, for our dear friend Frog, we embarked on this final journey.

A normal life and marriage makes you as cautious a soul as anyone else. This journey is naked proof of that: Crono ensures I'm out of reach from the beasts during our encounters, and I notice his power has weakened quickly and he doesn't risk as many bold moves. Frog, on the other hand, seems just as determined as before. Truly, he does lead this party, and I sometimes wonder whether he's actually gotten stronger, or if it's simply the contrast with our weakened skills that makes him stand out.

The hunt for Magus turns out to be quite short. By sundown of our first day in his lair, we find him standing on a pillar of his keep, still as a bat and staring at the horizon. He is fully aware that we are here, and he shows no regard as we wipe out the remaining imps surrounding his old fortress. Only after the last imp is exterminated under the raw cutting sound of Frog's sword does Magus swoop down next to us. He stands facing away into the horizon still, not making eye contact.

He's changed, Magus – although his visage is still quite haunting, he has thinned considerably. His attire is dirty and unchanged, and instead of his usual hateful, mocking face he wears a sad expression.

"Magus, you know why we are here," Frog says, finally breaking a minute of eerie silence.

Another heart stopping minute of silence and Magus finally hums, "I don't know why I am."

"What?" Frog slightly lowers his sword, noticing that Magus is off-guard and seemingly disinterested in a fight. A hundred thoughts flow through my mind. I wonder what Magus has been doing here for the last few months. A man like him always seems to have a plan, but is he actually lost now? I decide to ask him myself.

"Magus…I thought you were searching for your sister, Schala? Would you not find her in your own time, in the dark ages?"

At the mention of Schala, Magus finally makes eye contact with me, studying my face intently. I'm a bit uncomfortable now; afraid I might have somehow offended him.

"I learned from a source that her whereabouts would be better hinted in this time zone," he explains as I sigh in relief. He sounds more human than ever before. For the first time, I can sympathize with him – a man who devoted his life to finding his sister. In the process he did evil things, yes, but now that he has exacted his mission of killing Lavos, I wonder if it's possible for him to simply make amends in his life and return to that young boy we saw in Zeal.

He continues, "But I have found no leads, and have nothing to look forward to but agony. You are here to kill me, I presume? So be it, Frog, if that is what will satisfy you. However, understand that this is bigger than you and me and your corpse friend. You all owe your life to her, and it isn't yet over. I can sense it, there is more to happen and darker things yet to come. Across time and dimensions, she is suffering. She is not dead and her powers are being consumed for a great evil. She is the key – she saved us then, she will save us again, but only if she is freed."

We all stand there, in confusion, unsure of next steps. At this time we notice several imps in the forest, their red eyes glaring at us with evil intent. Magus sighs and notices them too, and declares, "Kill them all – they betrayed me too. I am no king or ruler of anyone. Humans judged the mystics as inferior beings and killed them for centuries, and then you fed the commoners off our retaliation with even more hatred for other races. Kill me too, but I only ask for time, and aid if you can donate for the planet's sustenance, to find my sister and free her."

I can sense the calmness now in Frog's posture. Magus had joined us towards the end of our Lavos objective, and he fought alongside Frog to bring the beast down. Frog never forgave Magus as we clearly note, but he had in some ways spawned some tolerance for the dark wizard over the last few months. For once, I sense Frog earnestly listens to Magus instead of letting his thirst for vengeance blindly lead him.

"Magus," Frog says, ignoring the imps. They seem too afraid to come out and fight at this point having seen our skill against their fallen friends, but their anger is still quite evident. "I want to return to my time and place, to 600 A.D., but I vowed to bring closure to this tale of ours. You helped start the war between humans and mystics, just as we did. The battles rage on even now. Now help us end it. In return, I will devote my sword to your cause. However, if this trade does not uphold in integrity, then I will slay you. If you are a man of your word, then prove that you care for things bigger than you and me."

A few tense seconds pass and then a silent agreement seems to ensue as they exchange slight nods. Magus stares again at the final rays of sunlight and declares, "In 12000 B.C., the people struggle to survive, keep warm and find food. There are no cities or towns, just survivors, sometimes alone, and sometimes in groups. A group of men promote killing mystics to feed on their meat. A false empire shall rise with them, and so the hostility will grow between humans and mystics over centuries of warfare. I won't lie to you; we can't undo everything, we can't change everything as some things are simply inevitable. But we can assuage it, all while I trace the whereabouts of my sister. Find a portal, and let's begin from there."

Magus has offered a fair deal, I think. Frog may have expected Magus to call back the mystic forces and stop the war, but that is no longer an option since Magus does not rule them anymore.

"So your proposal is to extinguish the conflict from the root source. Then you shall have it, let us return once more to the dark ages," says Frog. "Remember, Magus. I follow you and lay some trust for once in your plan as my friend Cyrus would have. I swear to Guardia if you betray me I shall have your head regardless of the planet's fate and your sister."

Frog nods once again and turns to Crono and me. "My dear comrades, I shall no longer need your assistance. Let me take it from here."

"Are you sure?" I ask. I don't want to change his mind now – I'm exhausted and for once I simply want to live life as a normal girl, with Crono.

"Guardia's royalty must continue. We can no longer afford to risk your lives again," says Frog. "Both of you have found your calling and comfort; now it's my turn. Thank you, friends."

At that, it does not take long for us to depart the lair and the forest, taking out the final resistance in the way. We stay at a nearby inn serviced by mystics, who are hesitant to take us and keep a close watch on us. Nevertheless, I can't help but think how lucky we are though, as humans would never return this same favor.

After two more days, we return to our homeland and find the final portal. Magus steps in first, a movement I surmise to be his effort at earning Frog's trust. Frog gives Crono and me both a hug, and follows.

"Magus, I have one last question," I shout as the portal begins to close. "What were you doing at your lair for so long?"

"Waiting for you," says Magus. I stand confused at first, but then finally get it as a smile cracks on my face – he _knew_ that eventually we would look for him and that's where he would most likely be. Frog waves at us one last time as the portal closes for good, its blinding blue glow finally yielding to the light of day.


End file.
